[Regnum] In Mexico, scientists from the local National Institute of Anthropology and History have discovered an underground portal to the afterlife that was used by ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. This is reported by RIA Novosti.
The publication states that during the study of the Catholic Church of San Pablo Apóstol in the city of Ancient Mitla in southern Mexico, vast voids up to 30 m deep were discovered under the temple building.
The article specifies that these territories were inhabited by the Zapotec Indians with a developed culture, and the city of Mitla flourished, being one of the largest political and religious centers of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.
"From the 10th to the 15th century, Mitla flourished. There were many temples, pagan temples, and priests' houses. The Spaniards who arrived here in 1520 dubbed the city the "Indian Vatican," the publication notes.
According to the publication, the Zapotec Indians adhered to polytheism (polytheism), offering their prayers to the deities of the Sun, Moon, thunder, corn, fishing and many others. It is noted that the Zapotecs also performed human sacrifices, and at some temples even the remains of children were found.
According to the information in the material, it was in the voids under the above-mentioned church, founded by Spanish conquistadors in the future, that sacrifices took place, including human ones. The name of the city translates as "place of the dead", and it served as a portal to the afterlife.
The article states that scientists are currently developing a plan to study all the voids, which is not yet possible without organizing full-scale excavations, since the city leadership is against it.
"For more precise conclusions, excavations are necessary. But the Mitla administration is categorically against it. After all, it could damage the historical architectural ensemble," archaeologist Marco Vigato told journalists.
The publication specifies that the study of the cavities of Ancient Mitla will reveal to scientists many secrets related to the history of Mesoamerican civilizations, including not only the Zapotecs themselves, but also the Aztecs and Mayans.
As reported by the Regnum news agency, on September 11, archaeologists found children's toys from the 16th to 19th centuries in Moscow. Among the toys found were figurines of a chicken, a man, and a horse, all made of ceramics. Archaeologists also found a fragment of a toy — a man's head in a cap with large round eyes.
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